During the protest, the agitators carried various placards and shouted slogans against Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, alleging that the Minister has failed miserably to check the fuel price hike, and demanded his resignation.

The protesters, led by BJD general secretary Sanjay Kumar Dasburma, claimed that prices of the essential commodities are rising due to the increases in oil price.

“The Central Government has increased prices of petrol and diesel nine times during the last three years. It has hit the common man. If the BJP-led Central Government does not take any step to curb the fuel prices immediately, we will intensify our agitation,” threatened Dasburma.

In the State capital city, the cost of petrol on Thursday was Rs 70.34 per litre while the price of diesel was Rs 66.69 per litre.